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Rule 9.Duties of Parties or Counsel

Part I. General Administration · Last amended January 1, 2023 · Last verified September 4, 2026

In one sentenceRule 9 sets counsel's and the parties' housekeeping duties — current contact details, a good faith consultation certificate that must be by person or phone rather than letter or email, and the rules for appearing, withdrawing and substituting.

Full Text of Rule 9

Text sizeJump to: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e)

(a) Current Address. Parties or counsel must keep the court informed of a current mailing address, email address, and telephone number.
(b) Responsibility to the Court. Parties and counsel are responsible for knowing the status of their cases and keeping the court informed of material changes in the status of their cases.
(c) Good Faith Consultation Certificate.
(1) Generally. When these rules require a “good faith consultation certificate,” the certificate must demonstrate that a party has made a good faith attempt to resolve the issue. The consultation or attempted consultation required by this rule must be in person or by telephone, and not merely by letter or email.
(2) Domestic Violence. The parties are not required to personally meet or contact each other if:
(A) there is a current court order prohibiting contact between the parties, a history of domestic violence between the parties, or an allegation of domestic violence; and
(B) the alleged victim of the domestic violence is self-represented.
(d) Appearance, Withdrawal, and Substitution of Counsel.
(1) Attorney of Record; Duties of Counsel.
(A) Appearance Required. Counsel may appear as attorney of record by filing a document that identifies counsel as the attorney of record for a party. Counsel may not file anything in any action or act on behalf of a party in open court without appearing as attorney of record.
(B) Duties. Once counsel has appeared as attorney of record in an action, and except pursuant to Rule 9(e), counsel will continue as attorney of record before and after judgment until:
(i) the time to appeal a final judgment has passed,
(ii) a judgment has become final after appeal, or
(iii) there has been a formal withdrawal or substitution in the case pursuant to Rule 9(d)(2).
(2) Withdrawal and Substitution.
(A) Notice of Withdrawal. When a judgment, decree, or other appealable order has become final, the time for appeal has passed, and there are no matters pending before the court, an attorney may withdraw from further representation by filing a notice of withdrawal. The notice must state that the attorney will no longer represent the client and include the client's address and telephone number, unless protected. The withdrawing attorney must provide a copy of the notice to the client and all other parties. An order approving the notice of withdrawal is not required.
(B) Motion to Withdraw as Counsel. A motion to withdraw as attorney of record must be in writing, state the reasons for the withdrawal, and set forth the client's address and telephone number. Additionally:
(i) If the motion bears the client's written approval, it must be accompanied by a proposed written order and may be presented to the court ex parte. The withdrawing attorney must give prompt notice of the entry of such order, together with the client's address and telephone number, unless protected, to all other parties.
(ii) If the motion does not bear the client's written approval, it must be served on the client and all other parties. The motion must be accompanied by a certificate of the moving attorney that the client has been notified in writing of the status of the action, including the dates and times of any court hearings or trial settings, or the client cannot be located or cannot be notified of the motion's pendency and the case status.
(C) Withdrawal After Trial Setting. No attorney will be permitted to withdraw as attorney of record after a trial date is set, unless:
(i) the application includes the party's signed statement that the party is aware of the trial date and has made suitable arrangements to be prepared for trial; or
(ii) the attorney seeking withdrawal shows good cause for allowing the attorney to withdraw even though the action has been set for trial.
(D) Substitution of Counsel. Counsel may be substituted upon written notice to the court and all parties bearing the written consent of the represented party. The notice must affirm that the substituting attorney is advised of pending court dates and has made suitable arrangements to be prepared. The notice must be accompanied by a form of order approving the substitution.
(E) Change of Counsel Within the Same Firm or Office. If there is a change of counsel within the same law firm, an order of substitution or association is not required. Instead, the new attorney must file a notice of substitution or association. The notice must state the names of the attorneys who are the subjects of the substitution or association and the current address and email address of the attorney substituting or associating.
(e) Limited Scope Representation.
(1) Scope. In accordance with ER 1.2, Arizona Rules of Professional Conduct, an attorney may undertake a limited scope representation of a person involved in a family court proceeding.
(2) Notice. An attorney undertaking a limited scope representation may appear by filing and serving a Notice of Limited Scope Representation in a form substantially similar to Form 1, Rule 97.
(3) Service. Service on an attorney who has undertaken a limited scope representation on behalf of a party will constitute effective service on that party under Rule 43(b) with respect to all matters in the action but will not extend the attorney's responsibility for representing the party beyond the specific matters, hearings, or issues for which the attorney has appeared.
(4) Withdrawal. Upon an attorney's completion of the representation specified in the Notice of Limited Scope Representation, the attorney may withdraw from the action as provided in Rule 9(d)(2)(A).
End

Rule History

Added Aug. 30, 2018, effective Jan. 1, 2019. Amended Aug. 29, 2022, effective Jan. 1, 2023.

Plain-English Summary

Rule 9 gathers four different obligations. The one most often litigated is in subsection (c).

Keeping the court informed

Parties and counsel must keep the court supplied with a current mailing address, email address and telephone number, and are responsible for knowing the status of their cases and telling the court about material changes.

The good faith consultation certificate

Where these rules require a certificate, it must demonstrate a good faith attempt to resolve the issue — and the rule specifies the medium: the consultation or attempted consultation must be in person or by telephone, and not merely by letter or email. An exchange of emails does not satisfy it.

Subsection (c)(2) carves out domestic violence. The parties need not personally meet or contact each other if there is a current no-contact order, a history of domestic violence, or an allegation of it — and the alleged victim is self-represented. Both conditions are required.

Appearing and withdrawing

Counsel appears by filing a document identifying them as attorney of record, and may not file anything or act in open court without doing so. Once appeared, counsel continues before and after judgment until the time to appeal a final judgment has passed, a judgment has become final after appeal, or there has been a formal withdrawal or substitution.

Withdrawal comes in two forms. A notice of withdrawal, needing no order, is available only when a judgment or appealable order has become final, the time for appeal has passed, and nothing is pending. Otherwise it takes a motion stating the reasons and the client's address and telephone number — presentable ex parte if it bears the client's written approval, otherwise served on the client and all parties with a certificate that the client has been notified in writing of the case status including any hearing or trial dates.

After a trial date is set, withdrawal is not permitted unless the party signs a statement that they know the trial date and have made suitable arrangements to be prepared, or the attorney shows good cause. A change of counsel within the same firm needs only a notice, not an order.

Limited scope representation

Subsection (e) allows limited scope representation under ER 1.2. The attorney appears by filing a Notice of Limited Scope Representation (Form 1, Rule 97). Service on that attorney is effective service on the party as to all matters in the action — but does not extend the attorney's responsibility beyond the matters they appeared for. On completing them, the attorney withdraws by the notice route.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does an email satisfy the good faith consultation requirement?

No. Rule 9(c)(1) requires the consultation or attempted consultation to be in person or by telephone, and not merely by letter or email.

Do I have to meet the other party if there is domestic violence?

Rule 9(c)(2) excuses personal meeting or contact if there is a current court order prohibiting contact, a history of domestic violence, or an allegation of domestic violence — and the alleged victim of the domestic violence is self-represented. Both conditions must be met.

When can an attorney withdraw without a court order?

Under Rule 9(d)(2)(A), when a judgment, decree or other appealable order has become final, the time for appeal has passed, and no matters are pending. The attorney files a notice of withdrawal stating they will no longer represent the client and giving the client's address and telephone number, unless protected.

Can an attorney withdraw after the trial is set?

Rule 9(d)(2)(C) does not permit it unless the application includes the party's signed statement that the party knows the trial date and has made suitable arrangements to be prepared, or the attorney shows good cause.

Is limited scope representation allowed?

Yes. Rule 9(e) allows an attorney to undertake a limited scope representation in accordance with ER 1.2 of the Arizona Rules of Professional Conduct, appearing by a Notice of Limited Scope Representation substantially similar to Form 1, Rule 97.

If I serve the limited scope attorney, is the party served?

Rule 9(e)(3) provides that service on such an attorney constitutes effective service on that party with respect to all matters in the action, but does not extend the attorney's responsibility beyond the specific matters, hearings or issues for which the attorney has appeared.

Source & verification. Rule text and Rule History reproduced verbatim from the Arizona Rules of Family Law Procedure as published by the Arizona Supreme Court, current through amendments effective January 1, 2026. Promulgated by the Supreme Court of Arizona (Ariz. Const. art. 6, § 5). Last verified September 4, 2026. · Official text
Also known as: duties of counselgood faith consultationmeet and conferwithdrawalsubstitution of counsellimited scope representationattorney of recordnotice of withdrawalcurrent addressdomestic violencegood faith consultation certificate